Lawn-sweeper.



Patented Aug. I4, |900.

J. l. CARUTHERS.

LAWN SWEEPER.

(Application fllec Dec. 28, 1899,)

(No Model.)

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JOHN'InvINe cARuTHnns, OF sAN ANTONIO, 'rnxAs LAWN-SWEEPER.

sPncInIcArroN forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,093, dated August14, 1900. Application filed December 28, 1899. Serial No. 741,862. (Nomodel.)

ToA all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN IRVING CARUTH- i ERS, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing sive device designed for removing leaves,

mown grass, and the like from lawns and capable of aording an efficientshovel for depositing such leaves and grass in a receptacle, cart, orthe like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which will be securely braced, but which will be adapted toyield under the strain to avoid breaking it.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described,`illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lawn-sweeperconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional viewof the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

l designates a blade or end constructed of thin sheet metal and curvedlongitudinally to present a concave upper face to form a scoop when itis desired to use the device as a shovel. The rear portion of the bladeis secured by suitable fastening devices 2 in a bifurcation of a lighthandle 3, and the front edge 4 of the blade is provided with a series ofapproximately-triangular teeth. The device, which is exceedingly light,is designed to be used similarly Vto a broom for the purpose of sweepingalong after the grass has been cut to remove suchcut grass, and it isalso designed for removing the leaves which litter up a lawn in the fallof the year. When such grass or leaves have been swept into a pile, thelatter may be shoveled by the device int-o a suitable receptacle or intoa cart or other vehicle.

In order to strengthen the blade without entirely removing itsresiliency, corrugated side flanges 5 are provided. These flanges 5,which are struck up from the metal of the blade at opposite sidesthereof, form sides or lianges for the purpose of retaining the ma=terial on the blade when the device is used as a shovel, and when thefront portion of the blade is subjected to a strain incident to liftinga quantity of leaves or grass the corrugated flanges, which areresilient, are extensible and contractible and are capable ofyieldingdongitudnally under such strain to prevent any liabilityT of thedevice breaking should the load be too heavy for it. The corrugated sideflanges are located at the depression of the blade, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, and they terminateshort of the front and back of the blade, as shown. in Fig. l.

It will be seen kthat the lawn-sweeper is ex-` ceedingly light anddurable, that it is adapted to be handled similar to an ordinary broom,and that it is capable of performing the functions of a shovel. It willalso be apparent that the corrugated ilanges, which are located at theside edges of the blade, are resilient and are adapted to contract andexpand longitudinally when the front or outer portion of the blade issubjected to a strain from shoveling or otherwise, and that they alsoserve to retain the material on the blade in shoveling.

l. A lawn-sweeper comprising a handle, and a thin blade or head having aconcave upper face and provided at opposite sides with corrugatedflanges adapted to retain the material on the blade and capable ofcontracting and expanding longitudinally, substantially as described.

2. A lawn-sweeper comprising a handle, anda sheet-metal blade havingteeth at its front or outer edge, said blade being curved longitudinallyand provided at opposite sides with resilient corrugated bracing flangesadapted to expand when the front portion of IOO the blade is subjectedto a strain and also serving to retain the material on the blade,substantially as described.

3. A lawn-sweeper comprising a handle, and a thin resilient blade havinga eoneaved upper face and provided at opposite sides withupwardly-extending flanges terminating short of the front and back ofthe blade, whereby they are adapted to retain material Io on the bladeand support the latter without destroying the resiliency of the same,subi stantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN IRVING CARUTHERS.

lVitnesses:

THAD. W. SMITH, JOHN D. SIPPLE.

